ERIC will look for your search terms across a set of key ERIC fields: title, author, source, abstract and descriptor. You can also enter an ERIC accession number (ERIC ID) to search for the ERIC document itself, as well as documents that mention or cite the document by ID. An ISBN, ISSN, EISSN or IES Grant/Contract Number may also be entered directly into the search box.

Ranking of results is determined by many factors including the publication date (more recent publications are favored).

This video helps users understand how to find information in an intuitive way and, in most cases, without the need for advanced search logic. The video demonstrates how simple search strategies can be an effective way to search the ERIC database.

How do I create more specific searches?

• Use quotes to group words into specific phrases:
  • "no child left behind"
  • maryland "no child left behind"
  • "west virginia" "no child left behind"
• Use the field:term syntax to target specific ERIC fields:
  • author:young
  • author:"john young"
  • "regression analysis" title:"test scores"
  • abstract:"no child left behind" pubyear:2002
• Add a filter:value to further restrict search results by a publication year range:
  • abstract:"no child left behind" pubyearmin:2016
  • naep pubyearmin:1976 pubyearmax:1980
• Use the field:term syntax to target IES Funded and/or What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Reviewed documents:
  • funded:y will show IES Funded documents.
  • For WWC Reviewed documents:
    • wwcr:y Meets Evidence Standards without Reservations
    • wwcr:r Meets Evidence Standards with Reservations
    • wwcr:n Does Not Meet Evidence Standards

What other advanced options are available?

• For exact, case-sensitive field searches, you may use: descriptorx, sourcex, locationx, lawx and assessmentx. For example, while source:"higher education" would include results with the source "Chronicle of Higher Education", the exact search for sourcex:"Higher Education" would only return results with the source "Higher Education".
• You can use AND/OR to limit the search, with parentheses if required. For example, (prekindergarten OR kindergarten) AND literacy will return findings with either the term prekindergarten or kindergarten that also contain the word literacy.
• You can require search terms using the + symbol in front of one or more words or phrases in your search. For example, +title:regression multivariate hierarchical linear would return only results with the term regression, with the terms multivariate, hierarchical, and linear being optionally searched in all fields.
• You can exclude search terms using the - symbol in the same way you would use a + symbol. For example, for information on bullying, but not focused by sexual orientation, search bullying -gay.
• You can combine any advanced syntax into a single search: regression (autism OR autistic) -descriptor:"regression analysis" -descriptor:"regression (statistics)" descriptor:autism

* Note: Filters must be combined with at least one other search term and cannot be used with AND/OR/+/-, etc.